She currently resides with her son Gar, daughter Samm, and husband Bruce Griffin in Toronto, Canada.

Early years

Gartner grew up in Chomedey, Laval, and was educated at Loyola College (now Concordia University), in MontrealQuebec. She graduated cum laude. She began her career as a radio host at Montreal's CJAD in 1970, and joined the CBC as a TV news anchor in 1974.

Career with CBC

She joined CBC Montreal in 1974, and moved to Toronto the next year to work on a program called In Good Company alongside Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson, Nancy White and Gene DiNovi.